I accidentally came across this article by the legendary designer Paul Rand. It was one of those things that for whatever reason manifested itself in the right spot and at the right time, all for me to consume. It's content and wisdom were exactly what I needed.

Like most designers, UX folk regardless of industry, find themselves facing very similar difficulties and struggles in the day-to-day that most every designer that has ever walked the planet has experienced to some degree. The root of the 'struggle' is that we are inherently obsessed with perfection. It is not bad. It just is. We have an innate inner drive that feels like it cannot be tamed to make the best, most meaningful and oh so delightful experiences for our end-users. It's that drive that is the reason for our sole existence and without it no progress and innovation would happen.

It's an inner thirst that fails be satisfied over and over because of opposing pressures that force us to compromise and 'settle' on solutions that most often we describe as succumbing to mediocrity. And 'mediocrity' in our eyes means failure. Yet it is not. The art and science of crafting designs that meet business needs all the while ensuring something meaningful for the users is pushed out into the world is a huge achievement and it is what great designers are able to do well. Yet to most designers it is something that they fail to feel accomplished by.

What shocked me is the date the article was written. I was barely 2 years old and graphic designers of the past experienced the very same challanges many a UX designer faces today. Here is an indulgent read on the politics of design by Paul Rand.

So many title themselves a leader of sorts. It's quite unbecoming. You don't become a leader after you get the title. You get the title because you are a leader first. Hence you don't need a title to be a leader.

A tell tell sign that you are not a person of influence is having to shout and remind those around you of your role. A leader has a positive impact on those around them laterally, above and below them. You effectively lead and have an impact and it's not your title that makes you effective - more efficient maybe but not effective.

Some of the most influential people do not have impressive titles. They have the right intent. They work in the best interest of the team. They bring solutions and people together and do not create divisions. They always stand up for the right thing and they are not afraid to push for and whomever for what is right. They make "it" happen. "It" being any kind of positive change that pushes forward progress.

No a title does not make you a leader. You have to be a leader at heart and intent first and then you will not care wether you get the title. An excellent resource for building leadership skills here.

The vast majority of their UX efforts fail. And in many of those cases, this is no fault of the individuals or the teams trying very, very hard to communicate and spread the UX gospel throughout the organization. Their efforts fail for one single, solitary reason - UX teams don’t have a seat at the big kids’ table.

The Scenario

Maybe you have had a similar dream that goes something like this… You have a very important meeting ahead of you. You are about to meet a brand new client and you’ve practiced your pitch to a tee. Your mind has been racing for hours if not days and your meeting objectives have been looping in your head. Naturally you want to do great and you want the meeting to be a success. A lot is at stake and you don’t want to mess up. Instead it turns out more like this…

You walk into the room of executives, you shake hands with them but none of them make eye contact with you and some even ignore you. Some don’t even notice you at all and others stare at you uncomfortably. You look for your teammates for help and assurance but they don’t notice you at all either. Next, the meeting starts and it’s your turn to speak. You move your mouth but no words come out. You become more and more uncomfortable, you start to sweat and even panic. You’ve missed your chance to speak and the meeting moves on. You didn’t get to contribute and even worse you fear that you’ve made an awful impression on the client and your peers. You did. You wake up panicked and infuriated. Thankfully it was just a dream.

Only this is not a dream but a reality of what a typical remote meeting can be like for you.